TJ and Momo both tagged me - so here are my responses.
1. Describe a memory from your first triathlon ever.
It was the Manitou Sprint Tri in 2003. I did it on a city-bike with big knobby moutain-bike tires. I remember counting how many people flew by me on the bike and thinking, "good thing I can swim"....
2. Describe a memory from your most recent triathlon.
It was Ironman Florida, just a couple months ago. At body marking I asked the volunteer to write "for Coach John" on my leg. (John is my friend and ski coach - he was diagnosed with stage 3.5 [out of 4] non-Hodgkins lymphoma in May.) I just started bawling as the guy was writing John's name on my leg. TriBoomer, whom I had just met the day before, was there and I told him about my friend and why I wanted to honor him with this race, and so he wrote John's name on a piece of paper and carried it all 140.6 miles. TriBoomer is top drawer. John had told me before I left that if I didn't take a bunch of pictures on the bike and run courses that I could break 12 hours. So I left my camera in my gear bag, prayed for John and hung out with God pretty much all day, and finished in 11:48, which is now my PR.
3. What's the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you in a tri?
In my second tri (Lifetime Fitness Olympic Tri, 2003) , I wasn't familiar with the bike rules and was riding "with" some guy almost the whole course. Kind of leap-frogging. As the bike leg was ending, I called out, "thanks! it was fun riding with you"... and he yelled back that I was an idiot and he was turning in my number for a variety of violations (which I now realize I did commit). I ended up being assessed a 2 minute penalty and took 4th place in my age group (would have been 2nd). Now I am a true stickler for the bike rules!
4. What's the most thrilling thing that's happened to you in a tri?
Winning the Athena division at IM Florida in November. Totally unexpected. I had forgotten I even registered Athena. But at 5'9" and 155 I must have figured I may as well since I do qualify by at least 5 pounds... I got a plaque and a nice bag of schwag, and got to get up on stage and hold my plaque over my head with all the other division winners while we got our pictures taken.
5. What is something you discovered about yourself by doing triathlons?
That everybody is here for their own reasons. All the reasons are good ones. And even if nobody understands mine, that's OK.
6. What is The Big Goal that you're working towards?
Living in a way that I think will let God know that I am grateful for all of this.
Check out the latest post from Julia in Italy - and read the article she wrote... awesome! and what an adventure in Italy.
http://fiveinfive.blogspot.com/
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8 comments:
I really admire the way you integrate your training and your faith...I finally watched "Chariots of Fire" over the weekend and your post reminded me of that.
DRAFTER!......LOL! that's hilarious.
your time at imfl was rockin! wow!
I got chills reading about your friend John and IM Florida.
On such a big day for you, how wonderful of you to think of John. I hope he's doing well. Your "big goal" is really inspirational, sometimes I get too bogged down in small details to remember what it's really all about. Thanks for the reminder.
And that's really funny about the biking rules, but he didn't have to be mean- we all have to learn some time!
Your IMFL results was truely awesome. Does that get you a ticket to Kona also?
But I do think great things do happen to nice people and people who truely love this stuff.
ps. I might take you up on running a 50 mile ultra next year. That would be awesome.
What a great post! Thanks for sharing.
i love your responses, jenny. you're an inspiration, i think you are so well-rounded and you really see the big picture in all of this craziness we do.
Like your "Big Goal"- :-)
And yes, IMCDA 08 has been on my calendar since last June I think-
now, the competition will be getting on-line faster than everyone else to secure a spot! (I am NOT going up in person this year to register...that's crazy!)
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